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My pendant hums. They’re both going to be having a very bad time if they decide to hit me with their weapons.
“It’s still daylight, you doorknobs,” James says, coming up the stairs behind me. “She wouldn’t be walking around outside if she was infected. Let us in.”
They exchange a look and open the doors for us, leaning away from me as I enter.
“Thanks for that.” The garlands of autumn flowers strung between the columns in the foyer have been replaced with lilies. “Is Darcy alright? Did she make it back ok?”
“She’s doing just fine.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “I’m sure she’ll be surprised by your arrival. She’s in a meeting with my mother, discussing what to do about you and the three other crew members that are still missing on the northern shore of Cor.”
“What are they discussing?”
“How to kill you.” He sees my face and cringes. “Don’t take it personally. She’d be doing you a favor by putting you out of your misery as one of those creatures.”
“She must be distraught.” I rest my hands on my belly to focus my breathing. She’s spent the last day thinking I’ve become one of the undead while I’ve been on Sorciere, indulging in hot bathwater, good food, and secrets.
“I’m sure she’s going through it, even if she doesn’t show it,” James says. “She’s just like her parents were in that regard–cold and serious when it comes to the hunting business.”
He brings me to the special collections room, ushering me in.
“Leave the tray there,” Uncle Malcolm says, dismissing us as maids without looking up from the desk where he’s standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Aunt Nell and Darcy.
Darcy looks like she hasn’t slept since the attack, the dark rings under her eyes bruise-like as she scribbles markings on a map.
“We’ll split the crew to search the woods here, here, and here.” She jabs the points with her quill. “Anyone can kill Seth, Logan, Maurice, or Professor Tommelise, but I’ll be the one to handle Dee.”
Her voice cracks around my name, and I push my hands against my navel to quell my guilt.
“Or I could spare you the trouble,” I offer, and all three of them snap their heads in my direction.
Sunlight streams through a stained-glass window. I stand in its path to show them I’m fully alive.
“Dee,” Darcy breathes. “I scoured the woods for you after I broke free from the tavern. How did you get back?”
I adjust the folds of my plain lilac dress, remembering the story I practiced. “I crossed the stream and found a sailor who was willing to take me home. We’ll need to repay him for his kindness, of course.”
“Of course,” she echoes, the words hollow.
“This is wonderful news,” Aunt Nell says. “We were starting to plan funeral arrangements, but we can move forward with the wedding instead.”
Uncle Malcom takes a puff from his pipe. “It’ll be less costly than changing everything at the last minute.”
“And I’m sure my dear cousin is happy to see her bride has returned to us, unharmed and in good health,” James adds, a slight edge sharpening his voice.
“Yes, that’s the most important thing.” Darcy sets her quill down, her blue eyes darkening as they land on my wounded neck. The poultice helped the cut heal quickly, but there’s still a thin gash there. “Can I speak to my bride alone, please?” she asks her family. “I’m just so relieved to see her.”
They leave hastily, sealing the door behind them to avoid witnessing our reunion.
“I’m happy to see that you’re doing well too,” I say when she doesn’t step any closer to me.
“It’s another miracle,” she deadpans. “Since you’ve arrived, you’ve survived a confrontation with the stoor wyrm, a kraken, and the attack at the tavern.”
My heart thumps weirdly in my chest, sensing danger. “I suppose I’m truly sea-blessed, just like you said.”
She prowls away from her desk, hips swaying in a shark-like manner as she circles me and chucks a finger under my chin. “Are you hiding something?”
Her gaze is cold and unforgiving. Mistrust clouds the eyes that used to look at me so lovingly.
Pretended to look at me so lovingly.
